Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Program Name/Specialization

Social Psychology

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Nancy Kocovski

Advisor Role

Supervisor

Second Advisor

Simon Coulombe

Advisor Role

Supervisor

Abstract

Canadian workers were severely affected by the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The rapid spread of the pathogen across Canada resulted in several work-related consequences (e.g., temporary/indefinite layoffs and business closures, mandatory working-from-home) that could have impacted workers’ well-being during this turbulent period. Research available at the start of this dissertation process, and even more recently published studies, primarily explored general trends in workers’ negative well-being during COVID-19, not examining the distinct realities that diverse workers, including more marginalized ones, may have experienced. Across three manuscripts, several theories from diverse disciplines (positive, developmental, community, and industrial-organizational psychology, public health) were married with the objective of exploring diverse workers’ holistic well-being during pandemics and epidemics and the beginning of COVID-19. Informing Manuscripts 2 and 3, Manuscript 1 (via a scoping review including 187 studies) found that positive well-being was experienced frequently or at moderately high levels, and work-related well-being was experienced highly during pandemics and epidemics. Negative well-being was mild to moderate during SARS and COVID-19 but high during other pandemics and epidemics. In Manuscript 2 (using latent profile analysis; N = 510), we found the presence of five distinct well-being realities (moderately prospering, prospering, moderately suffering, suffering, mixed) that Canadian workers experienced during May of 2020 across negative and positive general life and work well-being indicators. Most workers were flourishing to some degree. In Manuscript 3 (using latent trajectory analysis; N = 648), we found that Canadian workers had varying levels of well-being at the onset of COVID-19. Whereas negative well-being improved over time or stayed stagnant, positive well-being worsened or stayed stagnant between March and May of 2020. Most workers were found to be in prospering trajectories. Several factors at distinct ecological levels (self, social, workplace, pandemic) were related to workers’ well-being (Manuscript 1) or predicted membership to well-being profiles (Manuscript 2) and trajectories (Manuscript 3). Several implications for researchers and nonacademic stakeholders (e.g., employers, mental health organizations, policymakers) are discussed.

Convocation Year

2024

Convocation Season

Spring

Download

Available for download on Thursday, April 17, 2025

Share

COinS